Well-drilling machine.



W'. K. RILEY.

WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY15. |917.

Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W. K. RILEY.

WELL DRILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man MAY15.|917.

Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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iwf/K4 WILLIAM `x. RILEY, or SAN BERNABDINO, CALIFORNIA WELL-DRILLINGMACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

Application led May 15, 1917. Serial No. 168,740.

dino and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Well-Drilling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a well drilling machine.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a well rig whichaffords continuous operation of the bit.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hollow cable as afiexible support for the drill bit which also conducts water to the bitin a continuous and direct manner.

Another obj ect of this invention is to provide an operating` mechanismwhich simultaneously reciprocates the drilling bit and lowers or raisessaid bit continuously.

Another4 objectV of this invention is to provide a hydraulic brake whichwill act to retard the movement of the operating mechanism when desired.

Another object of this invention is to provide simply operated meansfor-delivering water through the hollow cable to the bit under pressure.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a well rig of theabove vcharacter which is composed of a few parts so arranged as to bestrongly designed and to operate continuously without great danger obecoming obj ectionably worn or otherwise rendered inoperative.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention is illustrated, by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings in which: v

Figure 1 is a view in section and elevation illustratin the well rig asit is positioned over the s aft being drilled. Fig. 2 is a view insection and elevation illustrating the drill bit as it appears at thebottom of the shaft. Y

Fig. 3 is a view in plan as seen on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 particularlydisclosing the relation of the operating elements of the drivingmechanism.

Fig. 4 is a view in transverse section and elevation as Seen on the line4 4 of Fig. 3 illustrating the manner in which constant communication isestablished between the drill bit cable and a source of water supply.

Fig. 5 is a view in section and elevation as seen on the line 5-5 ofFig. 4 and as disclosing the connection between the rotating trunnionsof the cable drum and a wate plpe.

Fig. 6 is a view in end elevation disclosing lthe formation of the drillbit and its cutting edges.4

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 and 11 indicate skidswhich are secured together by means of cross members 12 and 13, whichform a sub-frame for the driving mechanism 14 of the well rig. Thismechanism comprisesan electric motor 15, a cable drum 167 and powertransmission means connected therewith. The motor is secured upon theframe and is fitted with a driving gear 17 which constantly meshes witha driven gear 18 of large diameter. This gear is fixed upon a jack-shaft19 which extends parallel to the shaft of the motor and isrotatablymounted within bearings 20 and 21. The opposite end of thejack-shaft is fitted with a small driving gear 22 which is in constantmesh with a secondary driven gear 23. This gear is mounted upon astud-shaft 24 at the outer end of which is secured a small gear 25 whichmeshes with a gear 26. This gear is fixed -upon a small shaft upon whicha gear 27 is secured which is in constant mesh with the main driven gear28. The main gear is 'fixed upon a drum-shaft 29 upon which the drum 16is secured. This shaft is of special construction and will behereinafter described. At the opposite end of the drum a gear 30 isfixed and is in mesh with a brake actuating gear 31.

The actuating gear a hydraulic brake 32 by means of a pitman rod 33secured by one end by a wrist pin 34 to the gear and at its other end bya pin 35 to the piston rod 36 of piston 37. The piston 37 is here shownas reciprocably mounted within a horizontally disposed cylinder 38.This, cylinder is formed with ports at its opposite ends, saidy portsbeing connected by a by-pass 39 adapted to be controlled by anoscillating valve 40. It will be understood that the cylinder and theby-pass are lled with oil or other liquid and that as the pistonreciprocates within the cylinder this oil will be displaced andalternately forced ahead of the piston and in the rear thereof. Thevalve 40 iS 'meunted upon a Shaft to 31 is provided drive.

.which a lever 41 is secured. This lever is fitted with a connecting rod42 pivotally secured to a shifting lever 43. The lever 43 1s pivotallymounted upon a quadrant 44 and may be adjustably set in relationthereto. Adjustment of this lever will indirectly determine the size ofthe opening through the by-pass and thereby causea compression of theliquid within the c linder so that the well rig menchanism wi l beretarded 1n its movement when desired.

Pivotally mounted upon the drum-shaft 29 is a pair of oscillating arms45 and 46 adapted to be connected at their free outer ends by means of aconnecting shaft `47 upon which an idler pulley 48 is free to rotate.This pulley is formed with flanges between which the hollow cable 49 isguided. The peculiar mounting of this pulley upon the swinging arms isprovided to impart a drilling stroke to the cable and in turn to raiseand lower the drill bit 50. This is eiected by means of a large pitmanrod 51 pivotally secured upon a connecting pin 52 which is mounted onthe side of the arm 46. The opposite end of this rod is pivotallymounted upon a wrist pin 53 secured to the outer face of the driven gear18. As this gear rotates, an oscillating motion will be imparted to thearms 45 and 46 and will cause them to swing inwardly and outwardly inthe directions indicated by the arrow af- This will alternately raiseand lower the drill bit 50 in a manner which will be readily understood.

The cable is mounted to be wound around the drum 16 and is led upwardlyover an idler pulley 54 which is supported upon the top of the framestructure 55. This structure comprises upright members, one of which isvertically disposed and stands parallel to the portion of the cablewhich hangs downwardly and upon which the drill bit 50l is secured. Aswill be understood, this cable extends between the skids 10 and 11l andmay be raised and lowered to form a well shaft 56. The cable is ofspecial construction, as particularly illustrated in' Fig. 4 of thedrawings, where it will be seen that the fixed end is mounted within thedrum 16 and secured by means of a connection 57 to the drum shaft 29.This shaft is tubular as well as is the cable. The tubular shaft 29 isfitted with a union l58 which establishes communication between theshaft and a water supply pipe 59. By this construction water may bedelivered through the shaft 29 to the cable 49 and from thence along thehollow central portion of the cable to the drill bit, therebycontinuously supplying water to the cutting member.

ln order to positively force the water through the hollow cable, areciprocating pump 60 is provided and mounted upon the sub-frame of therig. This pump is actufrom a .suitable source of supply through v theintervening conduits and down the cable.

Reference being had to Fig. 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that thelower end of the cable is opened and is mounted within a tubular drillshank 63 at the bottom end of which is mounted the drill bit 50.

The bit is formed with four cutting edges' 64, 65, 66 and 67, which arehere shown as disposed at ninety degrees to each other, Vand betweenwhich water openings 68 occur. These openings communicate directly withthe hollow center of the shank 63 and convey the water from the cabledirectly to the opposite sides of the cutting edges.

Tn operation, the gear trains are set in motion by actuation of themotor 15, it being understood that other power supply units might beused to advantage. When the motor drives the shaft 19, rotation will beindirectly imparted to the tubular drum shaft 29 and the drum will becaused to rotate in a direction to pay out the cable 49. Due to thereduction of speed between the motor and the drum, the drum. will rotatevery slowly and will thus gradually lower the drill bit 50. Simultaneouswith the rotation of the drum, the gear 18 with its wrist pin 53 willact tooscillate the idler pulley 48 and the arms 45 and 46. This willalternately draw the cable 49 from the position indicated in solidlinesof Fig. l to the position indicated in the same figure by dotted lines,thus raising and lowering the drill bit within the well shaft 56. Incases where the drill bit has been removed from a shaft and is to beagain directly lowered to the bottom of the shaft, the motor is stoppedand the drum allowed to run idle under the weight of the bit. The speedof rotation of the drum at that time may be directly controlled by thehydraulic brake 32 which is fitted with the valve 40. As will beunderstood, regulation of this valve will retard the piston to any speeddesired, and will indirectly control the rotation of the gear trains andthe drum. When the drill rig is opera-ting, the pump 60 willcontinuously operate to force water through the hollow shaft 29 of thedrum, along the hollow central portion of the drill cable 49,

and will thereafter deliver it to the opposite and its clutch face 7 0is brought to engage a clutch 71 secured to the outer end of the shaft19. The gear 22 is, of course, splined upon the shaft 19 and will causeit to drive either the gear 23 or a sprocket wheel 72 which is formedintegral with the clutch member 71. This Wheel transmits power through asprocket chain 73 to a driven sprocket 74 ixed upon the shaft 29. Itwill thus be seen that by the movement of the clutch member 70 intoengagement with the clutch member 71 the drum 16 will be driven in areverse direction and the drill cable L19 rewound.

It will thus be seen that the device here disclosed affords acontinuously operating well rig which is composed of parts not liable tobe subjected to excessive strains and which also provides simple meansfor directly conveying Water to the cutting edges' of the drill bit.

iVhile I have shown the preferred construction of my well drillingmachine as now known to me, it will be understood that various changesin the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts may be madeby those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

I claim:

1. In a well drilling machine, a motor, a cable drum mounted parallelwith the motor, a train of reducing gears connecting the motor to thecable drum, a hydraulic brake connected to the cable drum, a cable uponthe cable drum, and a drilling bit connected to the cable.

2. In a well drilling machine, a motor, a cable drum mounted parallelwith the motor, a train of reducing gears connecting the motor to thecable drum, the shaft of the cable drum being tubular, a hollow cableconnected t0 the tubular` shaft and wound upon the cable drum, and a`pump connected to the tubular shaft for forcing water through the hollowcable.`

3. In a well drilling machine, a motor, a driving gear upon the motorshaft, a large driven gear mounted to mesh with the driving gear, acable drum mounted parallel with the motor, a train of reducing gearsconnecting the large driven gear to the cable drum, oscillating armsmounted at the ends of the cable drum, a pitman rod .connecting theoscillating arms to the driven gear, a shaft connecting the free ends ofthe oscillating arms over the cable drum, a pulley upon the shaft, acable Wound upon the cable drum and ruiming over the pulley, a derrickhaving a to ulley over which the cable runs, and a rilling bit connectedto the cable; so that as the cable drum is wound to raise or lower thedrilling bit, the

oscillating arms are operated to vibrate the l.

cable.

4. In a well drilling machine, a motor, a cable drum, a train of reducingears connecting the motor to the cable drum, ai piston cylinder, apiston mounted in the piston cylinder, a connection between the pistonandthe cable drum whereby the rotation of the cable drum reciprocatesthe piston, a by-pass connecting the ends of the piston cylinder, and avalve for controlling the by-pass; there being a liquid filling thepiston cylinder; so as to form a hydraulic brake controlled by the valvefor applying resistance to the cable drum.

5. In a well drilling machine, a motor, a cable drum having a hollowshaft, means connecting the motor to the cable drum, a pump connected tothe hollow shaft, a hol- -low cable connected to the hollow shaft andwound upon the cable drum, a pulley mounted above the cable drum, meansfor oscillating the pulley to vibrate the hollow cable, a hydraulicbrake connected to the cable drum, and a hand-lever for controlling thehydraulic brake.

6. A cable drum, a hollow drilling cable attached to wind upon the drum,a force pump connected to the end of the cable which is connected to thedrum, a hydraulicking drilling bit connected to the other end of thehollow cable, means for driving the drum and force pump, and a hydaulicbrake connected to the drum.

7 A hollow shaft, a water pipe connected to the hollow shaft, a forcepump in the Water pipe line, a cable drum u on the hollow shaft, aderrick, a hollow ca le connected to thc hollow shaft and wound upon thecable drum and running over a pulleyvln the derrick and downwardly, adrilling blt upon the lower end of the cable, a motor, a pinion upon themotor, a large gear 1n mesh with the pinion, a train of reducing gearsconnecting the large gear to one end of the cable drum, a pitmanconnected to the large gear, oscillating arms connected to the pitmanand to the force pump, a pulley carried by the oscillating arms toengage thecable, a brake gear upon the other end of the cable drum, asecond brake gear 1n mesh with the irst brake gear, a piston cyl inder,a piston in the piston cylinder, a'. pitman connecting the piston to thesecond brake gear, a by-palss connecting the ends of the pistoncylinder, a liquid filling the piston cylinder, a valve in the by-pass,and y,

a handle for the valve.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WM. K. RILEY.

